Portable foot sterilizer



Oct. 15, 1957 w WALTER 2,809,406

PORTABLE FOOT STERILIZER Filed Feb. 21, 1955 INVENTOR.

JA MES W. WALTER I9. 2 BY%C% 2 ATTORNEY fid States atent:

PORTABLE FOOT STERILIZER James W. Walter, Laurens, S. C.

Application February 21, 1955, Serial No. 489,540

1 Claim. (Cl. 21-61) This invention relates to devices for the prevention of the spreading of communicable diseases carried by the feet and more particularly to a portable dispensing device for containing a. liquid disinfecting agent and for making it possible to conveniently dip the shoes or feet of the user into this liquid.

It has been found that communicable diseases among animals, especially poultry, are transferred chiefly by the shoes of those persons who travel from one farm to another and this fact has instituted the widespread practice of using disinfectants to prevent such spreading of disease. The methods for applying the disinfectant to the shoes of users have been crude and have resulted in the waste of much of the disinfectant as well as the improper application thereof. Sometimes the farmer maintains trays, sponges and the like for containing and applying the disinfectant but it is difficult to move such devices without spilling the disinfectant, and, being exposed, the disinfectant collects dirt and the sun evaporates and the rain dilutes the.disinfectant. Persons going from farm to farm often carry disinfectant in various ways but they are inconvenient at best and it is impossible to carry a full tray without spilling much of the disinfectant.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a unitary device for carrying the liquid and for making the liquid readily accessible so that the shoes of the user may be conveniently dipped therein thus resulting in a dipping which was heretofore often omitted due to the crudeness of former methods.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unitary device for carrying disinfectant, making it easy to dip the feet into the disinfectant and making it possible to preserve the disinfectant for use over and over again without inconvenience.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unitary device having the above advantages and which provides means for scraping the feet of the user prior to dipping them into the disinfectant and which provides convenient means for carrying other equipment of the user.

I accomplish these and other objects of my invention by providing a portable foot bath consisting essentially of a tray, a tank for containing a liquid disinfectant positioned adjacent one end of the tray in a position elevated above level of the bottom of the tray and means communicating between the tank and the tray, whereby the liquid may flow from the tank into the tray when placed in a horizontal position and whereby the liquid may flow into the tank when the portable foot bath is lifted by elevating the end remote from the tank thus making it unnecessary to cover the tray when transporting same.

More specifically my invention comprises a portable foot sterilizer including an elongated substantially rectangular open-top element having substantially vertical side and end portions, horizontally disposed means subdividing said element adjacent the top thereof to form a tray, a tank for containing a liquid disinfectant adjaand a horizontal cover, said horizontal cover extending slightly beyond said vertical partition to form a flange, a handle pivotally carried by the element adjacent the end thereof remote from the tank, a drawer carried by the element within the portion thereof beneath the horizontal partition, a scraper removably carried by the horizontal cover for wiping the feet of the user prior to placing them in the tray, said vertical partition having a hole therein adjacent the horizontal partition so that the liquid may flow from the tank into the tray and means for opening and closing said hole, whereby after dipping the feet of the user into the liquid within the tray the entire foot sterilizer may be lifted by the handle causing the tank.

While some of the objects of my invention have been stated above others will become apparent to those skilled in the art relating to the dispensing and using of disinfectant when the specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of my device with parts broken away for purposes of illustration,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my invention' as shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with parts broken away show-- sheet metal, preferably rust proof, but which may be constructed of plastic, steel with a porcelain finish, or any other suitable material. The elongated box like element 10 consist essentially of a base portion 12 which is normally horizontally disposed and a pair of vertical sides 14 and 16 and a pair of end portions 18 and 20.

The box like element 10 is subdivided by a horizontally disposed partition 22 which is disposed in the upper portion thereof. This partition 22 subdivides the element 10 into a tray broadly designated at 26 and into a lower compartment 28 for carrying a drawer 30 which is provided with a handle 32. The drawer 30 is desirable because it provides a convenient place for carrying other equipment and additional disinfectant. The dimensions of the tray must be such that the feet may be conveniently placed therein.

The tray 26 is further subdivided by a vertical partition 36 adjacent one end thereof and is provided with a cover 38 to form a tank broadly designated at 40 for containing a suitable disinfectant 42. It will be noted that the cover 38 extends slightly beyond the partition 36 to form a flange 38a. The disinfectant or fungicide to be used may be of any desired type such as those comprising the well known quarternary ammonium compounds or the pine oil disinfectants.

The partition 36 has an aperture or a hole 44 therein, which is adapted to threadably carry a cover or plug 46 located in the medial portion of the partition adjacent the bottom of the tank 40. The tank is also provided with a bleeder plug 48.

It will be noted that, when the portable foot bath is disposed in its normal horizontal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, if the plug 46 is removed the liquid 42 will flow into the tray 26, making it possible for the user to dip the lower portion of his shoes into the liquid as shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted further that a substantially U-shaped handle 50 is carried adjacent the end of the box like element 10 remote from the tank 40 and is pivoted thereto as at 52. This handle 50 is provided for convenience but the tray could be lifted by Patented Oct. 15, 1957.

liquid to return through the hole into the hole 44 such as a rubbenplug ona valve of the pet-cock type may be employedin lieu 'oftthethreadediplug 46.

and; a screen or ;filter;employed therewith to prevent trash from flowing into the tank 40 andthis trash could easilyberemoved. to prevent the. disinfectant from becoming" contaminatedover:long periods .of use. ItWill be noted that" it is important that at leasta portion of the tank 40 be positionedabove the bottom of the tray 26*sothat liquidmay'flow from'the tank into the tray when'in ahorizontalpositionh "Itwillibe noted that a brushz'4 (any suitable scraping means couldbe'employed) isremovably mounted on the cover 38 as by the threaded plug 56; This makes it possible-toconveniently brushthetrash off the shoes prior to placing them "into the liquid disinfectant.

It is thus seen that I have provided a portable foot bath Which'is particularly useful in connection with the raising of poultry. People, such as feed salesmen, veterinarians, ektension workers,- servicemen, county agents and'others may carry these devices and thus prevent the spreading of communicable'diseases which has in the past made their visits almost 'a' thing to. be dreaded by poultry raisersyin'particular. This device will also be-useful for traveling teams, toprevent the spreading of athletes foot, swimming pools and anywhere that the convenient dispensing'of disinfectant is advantageous.

While a preferred embodiment of my invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A portable foot sterilizencomprfsing an elongated open topped elementhavingsides,.means.subedividing said element to formthe bottom of an elongated relatively shallow tray, a tank for pcontaining a". liquid disinfectant adjacent one end .of thetray formed by.a partition and a cover, said cover'extendin'g slightly beyond said-partition to form a flange,,.a-handle; calf iedjby the element adjacent the end thereof remote from the tank, a drawer carried by the element within the portion thereof beneath said means, a mechanical cleaning implement carried by the cover for wiping the feet of the user prior to placing them-in the tray, said'partition whavingan'aperture there in adjacent the" means sub-dividing; said element "so that.

the liquid may flow fromthe. tank intoth'e tray and a removable cover for vsaid 'apertureawhereby after wiping 0 the feetof-the'user on the'mechanicahcleaning implement and dipping the feet of the userfinto the liquid'within the tray the entire'foot sterilizer may be lifted by the handle causing the liquidto .returnthrouglr. the aperturej into the tank;

Referenees Clted in the tile" of 'this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS. 7 892,969 'WilSOI1 July .7, .1908 2,402,346 Rosenlund- June18, 1946" 2,594,024. Hyde Apr. 22, .1952. 2,502,124 Batchelor; n 1111 1952.

a FOREIGN-PATENTS I 16927 

